Recently I was reflecting on my experience with the various churches I have attended. I grew up in a small town attending a Baptist church. The Sunday school was largely staffed by men and women with limited education and mediocre teaching skills. They taught because they were devout Christians and believed that it was crucial to pass on the Christian faith to the next generation no matter what,…

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Recently had the opportunity to visit a Bible study of folks who aren’t new Christians, and have known each other a long time, and the two hours or so spent with them reminded me of what the writer of Hebrews says in 5:11–12: "About this we have much to say, and it is hard to explain, since you have become dull of hearing. For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the basic principles of the oracles of God. You need milk, not solid food,...” Shockingly, he observed that his audience was actually in need of milk. For me to put put together some of my thoughts and observations, I hope to do so constructively. This reflection is meant not for criticism, but hopefully, for edification. May God have mercy on me as I think this through:

1. It is a great thing when groups aim for love and truth together. Specifically, when people love one another well, and show reverence for God’s word, we should celebrate that. That can be marked by conversations fuelled by the questions: “how are you doing” and “what does God want to say to us?” 

2. it is a tragedy when we ask the question “what does the Bible say” without asking the equally important question “what is God revealing to us today”. We must be determined to apply His word to our lives, and remind ourselves of how we need revelation from His Word in order to have a vibrant personal relationship with the true and living God who speaks and reveals His will. This must surely come from a rigorous effort to actually engage with, observe, and process a passage in God’s own word. 

3. Conservative evangelical churches confuse a pan-Bible survey of disconnected verses with the rigorous study of the full revelation progressively unfolded across the canon. Part of this is fuelled by the disease of cross-referencing passages with little or not attempt to establish the intertextual relevance, or historical context for those references, and the passages fail to build on one another in advancing the thought development. 

4. We need to protect believers from the lie that the internet, with its volumes of information, is a better source for revelation and insight than the plain Scripture in front of them read with careful Holy Spirit-given discernment. This is especially true for older folks who have become so accustomed to diving into the overload of information online with little or no discernment. 

5. The tendency for our application is sometimes to veer towards “things to do” or “things not to do”, instead of the heart-level introspection and careful scrutiny of the Holy Spirit to expose sin in our lives. Our time in the Word must act both as a reading of the instruction manual for compliance, and the practical stress-testing to see why things are or aren’t working, and be a mirror for our true selves before Him. We must internalise the deep truth that we are not just called to do good works, we are called to be His good work. 

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About the European Nursing Instrumentality The European Nursing Agency (ENA) Care Group is a family-owned care section which provides trusted and clever care at home via trained nurses, personal assistants and carers, many of whom live-in together on clients. All relating to its clients need stomach - and want unto remain living in their own home. They include people with spinal injuries or lax cataplexy as long as well as the elderly.<\p>

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Simply Too Many Options

John 14:6 NIV

“Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”

I’m sure you agree with me that having too many options proofs to be very troublesome. We waste time thinking, analyzing, and wondering what is the better option or decision to take. Few nights ago, I had a dinner with a fellow leader and his wife in a food court near my…